Psalm 119:114
You are my shelter and shield; I put my hope in your word.
You're my place of quiet retreat; I wait for your word to renew me.
You are my hiding place and shield; I wait for your word.
You're my place of quiet retreat, and your wrap-around presence becomes my shield as I wrap myself in your word!
This verse is repeated in different versions because the wording of each was all too good. With the wording may be somewhat different the purpose of putting them here was because we can identify with one over the other. Although the wording is different the truth of it is all the same. The Lord is our shield and shelter or hiding place. God as shelter for David was from vain thinking. The Lord became his hiding place, his protection from his own thinking. A shield when he would step out into the world and all of it's vices. He would remember the word and that time spent with God when faced with the trials of the world.
When I came across this verse and began to study it I became stumped on what it looked like to have the Lord as a shield when we step out into the world. When we're alone it's easy or maybe sometimes easy to shut out the world and find rest in the Lord. What about when we're around other people or we get overwhelmed be out in the world how do we tap in and experience the Lord as our shield? I think a way to do that is to remember what the bible says in whatever situation we find ourselves in. We can pause and reflect or pause and pray to bring us back to the situation with a clear head. The act of putting our hope in the word is being practiced when we do this.
The only way to use our shield is to become familiar with it. We become familiar with it by spending time learning it. We build our faith by spending time with the Lord. It's so encouraging to me that spending that time alone intentionally with the Father not only strengthens our relationship with Him but we get to walk away with a new strength to stand.
My prayer for you
Father thank you for being our comfort when we need to get away. Coming away from time spent with you leaves us encouraged ready to take on the next trial. Help us to remember your word when we are faced with conflict, as well as when we are prompted to share or encourage the people in front of us. We submit all to you, give us the strength to live fully surrendered. Begin to chip away at the parts of us that hinder who we are. Renew a right spirit within us Father. We trust your heart and your intentions. Thank your for this truth today. In Jesus Holy and precious name, amen.
